


The Spare

by Impulse writer (oneamazingpsychopath)



Category: Kuroshitsuji | Black Butler
Genre: Adult Ciel Phantomhive, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Bad Parenting, Daddy Issues, Historical Fantasy, Multi, no one dies, yet - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-19
Updated: 2021-02-17
Packaged: 2021-03-17 15:14:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,223
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28851171
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oneamazingpsychopath/pseuds/Impulse%20writer
Summary: England's Victorian rules aren't so kind to second borns. Spares. Insurance. So sometimes one must take their talents abroad, but blue blood must return sometime. And it's been so long since Astre returned home.
Relationships: Sebastian Michaelis/Ciel Phantomhive, Vincent Phantomhive/Undertaker, William T. Spears/Original Character(s)
Kudos: 56





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Yes I call our Ciel Astre just cause I like it more.

Rain pattered down, misting the view of the street as the boat docked and the young American elites departed from the ship. The grey dredge of England settled thickly over Astre Phantomhive as he and his group of misfit servants followed closely behind. "England never gets sunny does it?" He asked his butler who smiled down at him. 

"Unfortunately not young master." Sebastian appeared amused at the sight of his master returning to his homeland. Finnian was already handling all the luggage, strong as he was he needed no help, Baldroy still attempted to guide the younger servant to a waiting carriage. One of the young master's maids clumsily tripped over the cobblestones. Meyrin needed new glasses soon evidently- well they didn't keep her around for her walking ability. The other maid watched on with a bored expression, not moving to help them. 

"I hate this country." She mumbled, her golden nails flashing when she waved a hand dismissively. Cassiopeia held out an umbrella for the young master, uncaring as her own hair grew damp and heavy with rain. 

Astre hummed, acknowledging her statement, "Let's go then. We'll be out of the rain soon enough." He shared a private smirk with Sebastian, joining his servants in the carriage. Cassiopeia smiled at Sebastian, answered by his amused smirk. 

"How long has it been since you returned home, young master?" Finny asked, leaning forward with those bright eyes of his. 

Astre leaned away but considered his question, "I believe it's been 8 years..." he mused, remembering the night he met Cassiopeia. 

-

He had been 10 at the time, and he and Ciel had just gotten in a fight. Ciel had been furious at how much more attention Ciel got for his illness, how much gentler Vincent was with the spare rather than his heir. Astre had been mad that a mere 30 minutes between births had led him to be the forgotten second best. While he was coddled and doted on, everyone overlooked how smart he was-already at a young age Astre was far outstripping his twin in terms of intellect. But no one noticed, he was expendable, he already knew that as they grew the gentle attentions he received as a child wouldn't matter. Ciel would inherit everything, Ciel would be the infamous Queen's Watchdog, Ciel would run the bloody Funtom Company into the ground. He hated how his position for the future was already decided not by merit but by birth. While Ciel was concerned over how Vincent cooked milk risotto with Astre, Astre was occupied with thoughts of his future. And that already showed their evident difference. The twins had never been close but lately, their fighting was entrenched in bitter hate. Ciel was like his name, heavenly, bright sunny and so cheerful. Astre was like the night sky, dark, foreboding, sullen. 

And then she had come, whisked in. Ciel was allowed to stay up, already charming future business alliances and underground contacts, Astre was sent to bed. The younger twin was reading, he was particularly drawn to the story of Cain and Abel tonight. One moment he was alone, and the next he felt a presence by the window. Despite noticing her, he didn't cry out or startle- he pretended to be engrossed in his book, waiting. 

Cassiopeia looked almost the same back then as she did now, save for her hair. Back then her hair had been a glittering mass of writhing pinks and purples. But her youthful face stayed the same, as did her golden fingernails and skin as pale as the moon. "You're a smart one aren't you?" She queried, voice musical like a flute. 

Astre finally looked at her outright, squinted as he saw a faint gleam past her shoulder. "What are you?"

"Clever thing..." Cassiopeia had grinned, teeth thin and sharp like prickling needles. "May I have your name?"

"Ciel Phantomhive." She tossed her miasma of hair back with a laugh at his lie. 

"I like you, little one. So smart... so bitter. I'm supposed to collect you." 

"Me? Why?"

"Well, you're a good bargaining chip." She shrugged. 

Astre pouted, little eye twitching in frustration. "No. I'm just the spare." 

"Oh little one, how wrong you are? Will you come with me? I promise you'll never be a spare again." She held out one elegant hand towards him. Something in Astre warned him not to take it, but curiosity flooded his little body, till he leaned forward and shook her hand. "Come now, I'll take you to your other half." 

-

And he'd disappeared into the night, brought before Sebastian on an island of crumbling marble. He hadn't paid attention to the two creatures at the time, fascinated by the endless black feathers that flooded the air. He caught bits and pieces of their conversation though. 

"....just the children?"

"Of course... no need for others-"

"Why are you-"

"Such an interesting story to be written..."

"You creatures and your stories..." 

Finally, the pair of adults turned to Astre. Sebastian as he asked to be called, knelt before Astre with wide wondering eyes. His features smoothed into a distinctly human face. "Hello, Astre."

"Hello. What is it you want from me?" 

"I would like you to be mine, forever," Sebastian admitted, seeing into the young boy's soul, seeing the being he would become and grow into. A demon's soulmate was a precious thing; usually other demons, occasionally a fairy or witch, a death god or angel. But in the rarest cases, sometimes the darkness of the soul of a human cried out to a demon's and they would be bound. Always. In every universe, they were connected. 

Astre nodded slowly, "Alright." He acquiesced. "But you have to help me first." Sebastian cocked his head to the side. "I want to be powerful, I want to show my family- no I want to show England how foolish it is to base everything on birthright." His little face screwed up into a scowl. "I want to know what would've happened had I stayed at home, I need to know how my life was supposed to go." 

Sebastian agreed, already seeing how his little soulmate would grow into the demon he saw in his future. Cassiopeia smiled, "I can postulate futures for you little one, but knowing exactly how your life changed- that's impossible." 

"Will you stick around too?" Astre turned to her, saw that glittering gleam again, just over her shoulder. 

She looked at Sebastian and nodded, "Yes. I'm seeing a deal through to the end."

-

Astre was lost in thought, thinking about that night so long ago. He flashed Finnian a wane smile, "It will be interesting to see my family again. I look forward to surprising them." He finally said, Meyrin and Baldroy began chatting to each other, absorbing Finny into the conversation, noting the lost look in their master's eye. 

Sebastian looked at his soulmate, not so little anymore, and watched as he fingered the edge of his eyepatch- where Sebastian's mark lay. Over the years he had watched the shrewd child grow into a brilliant adult with genius intellect. Trained under Cassiopeia and Sebastian he had the most calculatingly cruel mind. Not that Sebastian doubted there ever was a world where Astre was not brilliant. They tempered his emotions, fostered his greed, pulled the innate darkness of his soul out. 

Were he not obsessed with his young master he would almost say Cassiopeia and him were like parents. But no, Cassiopeia was doing this for her own reasons; a good story and to secure their little deal. Sebastian did this out of love. Mania. His master had declared long ago he wouldn't give into Sebastian's affections until he achieved his goals. It was all so very close now. He looked at the fae across from him. Her little nose wrinkled as she stared out the window. They could pass as siblings now, under their respective glamours. Her eyes though, unlike his russet red eye color, she had chosen a cool grey, like sleet. 

She raised an eyebrow at him, he shook his head and secretly heated up the temperature within the cabin to warm Astre. 

-

Vincent frowned, looking from Undertaker to his wife with her wringing hands. Rachel had never recovered her nerves following his youngest's disappearance. "Who are we waiting for?" 

"The head of that new American Toy Company- Robin Goods. And of course the guest of honor." Ciel helpfully supplied, looking neat and pristine, every bit the rightful heir of the Phantomhive title. "Apparently the CEO is bringing an entourage of servants; said he was planning on staying in England for a while." 

Vincent hid a sneer from the other guests, "Noveau riche." He muttered, seeing his son nod in agreement. As much as new money disgusted the Phantomhives, it was a necessary invitation; they would most likely need a scapegoat tonight- and who better than an up and coming toy company from America. Tanaka opened the front door, and through the pouring rain a carriage pulled up to the estate. 

"I believe that's the head of Robin Goods," Tanaka announced, Vincent affixed a charming smile on his face as a small group of 6 emerged, three immediately grabbing luggage and vanishing through a side servants entrance. At least they were well trained. Three figures remained, one clearly a maid; long black hair weighed down with rain as she held up an umbrella for her lord, shielding his face from view and rain. The tallest of the group was leaning down to whisper into the shielded figure's ear. The tall one was a figure entrenched in shadows, dark and foreboding. VIncent would bet that he was a bodyguard on top of a servant. 

-

"Are you ready, young master?"

"Obviously."

-

The maid laughed, the sound echoing like clear bells in the wind as they moved as one to the entrance. Tanaka turned to announce them to the foyer. 

"The CEO of Robin Goods Company in America-"

"Please, call me Astre." Astre cut him off as he lifted his head as Sebastian pulled his hat and overcoat off, revealing himself to the foyer much to the shock of the Phantomhive family. Shining grey hair gleamed under the light of the chandelier, a singular blue eye the color of sapphires gleamed. Despite being away from home for 8 years, he was a copy of Ciel Phantomhive, except for the dark eyepatch obscuring his eye. "I wrote ahead about my servants staying the night as well; this is Sebastian and Cassiopeia." He indicated, carelessly, as though he was not in his childhood home, facing his mother, father, and twin again. 

Let the game begin. 

"Astre!" Rachel cried out, rushing forward to embrace her lost son. Ciel stared in shock as though he had seen a ghost, maybe he had, for years everyone assumed Astre was dead. Vincent fought between anger and shock, eyeing his returned son. He was clad in expensive fabric, emerald and grey bringing out his pale complexion. Astre allowed the embrace, seeing his two servants give each other meaningful looks behind his mother's back. "What happened to you?" Rachel cupped his face, "Your eye!" 

Astre gingerly extricated himself from her grasp, cupping his eyepatch self consciously, "It's a long story... I don't think it's polite-" 

"Why haven't you ever contacted us?" VIncent moved forward, playing off his shock jovially. He clapped Astre's shoulders, assuring himself that Astre was real. 

Astre sensed his underlying accusation and inwardly smiled at the beginning moves. "It had been so long... as you know I was in America... and when I got the invitation to this dinner party I- I thought I'd come to surprise you."

"What about before?" Vincent bit out. 

"I-it's a long story... father. I can explain later tonight." He raised a perfectly groomed eyebrow at his father, eyeing the other guests. Vincent smiled a closed-eyed smile and nodded, gripping his shoulder a bit too tightly. 

"Tanaka, please take care of my wife." He indicated the clinging Rachel. Tanaka nodded and led the woman away. Vincent smiled, "Well what a plot twist! My lost son has returned!" He cheered, entertaining the group of guests and disappearing the tension instantly. Astre watched how skillfully his father played the crowd. 

Cassiopeia was smiling, what an interesting story unfolding, she faded into the background, letting Sebastian handle their young charge. Astre took it upon himself to step up to his twin, smiling sweetly. "It's good to see you again Ciel." He chimed out, watching Ciel flinch in shock. 

Ciel swallowed and smiled at Astre, "Yes. Of course Astre. I can't wait to hear what you've been up to." 

Astre's grin widened slightly, "Well look forward to later then, dear brother." He turned on one heel and Sebastian followed as he began to mingle with guests, waiting for the guest of honor. Some man from Germany. Right on cue, the German man entered with the Queen's very own butler. Announced by another lower ranking servant than Tanaka. 

All the pieces were on the board then.


	2. Chapter 2

Von Siemens was a disgusting man but did Astre expect anything else from the German sent here just to die? He was groping Meyrin relentlessly, sending his poor human maid collapsing in fright and shame. She struggled to get away, but if she really felt unsafe Astre was sure of her capabilities. Astre couldn't wait till the man was stuck like a pig on a stick. His other maid was hovering attentively near, ever so dutiful- almost as dutiful as Sebastian himself, if that was even possible. Finnian and Baldroy were most likely preparing the house as instructed, it'd be rude to bring so many servants and not help with the party. Astre swirled a glass of champagne slowly in boredom. He supposed this is where Ciel did surpass him; socializing. Astre hated events like this. Sure the younger Phantomhice could pretend spectacularly if he needed but he hardly needed to fake politeness so early in the game. Plus the act took so much energy from him. No, best to save his strength. 

He eyed the guests idly; his brother's fiancee was there cooing over the Opera singer's dress. The director was chatting with some poor shipping manager, Phelps, Astre recalled distantly. Woodley was attempting to charm his father who was talking to that creepy Undertaker, and Charles Grey seemed enamored with his twin. Still, there was someone missing from the festivities. 

Astre's eye settled on an awkward man curled in on himself at the edge of the room. There he was. Astre made his way over and settled next to the man. "May I sit?" 

"Of course- Oh! Uhm I'm so sorry my lord-" He jumped a foot in the air.

Astre laughed, gesturing for the man to sit down, "Oh don't address me so formally, I'm not the lord of the house you see..." He nodded at Ciel's table subtly. 

Arthur nodded slightly with a small smile, "Ah but you're still a CEO are you not?" 

Astre hummed with a shrug, "Yes, but in America. That country doesn't have ridiculous laws about inheritance and such." He injected the appropriate amount of bitterness into his tone. "I honestly wasn't going to come but then I learned you would be here and I simply had to."

"M-me? I was just wondering what I was even doing here!" Arthur wondered at the young man before him. His bright intelligent eye, his perfect skin, and his cool unaffected tone. This was someone who belonged in the upper echleons of society.

"I thoroughly enjoyed your story posted in the papers." Astre waved a hand dismissively, "I had to have them specially ordered." 

"A wealthy nobleman like you read common papers like that?" Arthur marveled. 

"Well I'm hardly a nobleman, truly I have little to do with my family, this is the first time I've seen them in years," Astre confessed, leaning forward a little, as though sharing a secret. Arthur frowned a little thinking about that. 

"But you're so young..." 

Astre shrugged, seemingly moody now. "Nothing to do about it now though... I hope to maybe reconnect with my family tonight though-"

Arthur was about to say something, anything to lift the gloom from the young CEO's eye; when the opera singer cried out in outrage at that Von Siemens fellow. The light air of the party fell apart when Ciel Phantomhive stepped forward to stop wine from spilling on the lady. A true gentleman. Astre hid a snort behind his glass. Von Siemens was led out, thoroughly drunk- so drunk he couldn't even apologize to the future Earl properly. High pitched squeaking praise rang out from Ciel's fiancee as a wave of Phantomhive servants ushered the man out to fix his wardrobe. 

-

Vincent sought to lighten the mood to little success, he sighed, it seemed the Queen really was going to try and test him with this party. His reputation, his son, his legacy was all on the line. His dark eyes fell on his other son. Astre was watching everything with a blank face, but in the light, he could perceive a twist of amusement in that singular eye. He was talking with that writer, another easy pawn; but it seemed Astre got to him first. Damn. Well, he wasn't particularly important, he just had to solve the murder.

He could see his initial plan clearly- he would have ignored the common man; played off his insecurity, let him fester. Then he'd swoop in and have the writer in his pocket, ready to solve the inevitable murder mystery into a neat plot. He'd scapegoat the CEO of Robin Goods Co. and have plenty of pawns ready to accuse each other eliminating suspicion on his family. But he was clearly thrown off by the entrance of his forgotten son. He would need to figure out his second son's real goals before moving forward, and be prepared to crush him if need be. 

Why'd he even decide to invite him, albeit not knowing who the CEO really was. He recalled running ideas past Undertaker and Ciel, planning out each moment of the night meticulously. They had just selected Woodley as a good scapegoat and Tanaka delivered the paper. It had gotten into the early hours of the morning; a test from the Queen was not to be taken lightly. Vincent had looked at the second page's main article during a brief tea break and saw the upstart company making waves. A newly released series of fantasy-themed toys was currently selling out across the globe. Unicorns, fairies, griffins, even cute little demon and angel pairs. How...quaint. 

Ah. It was Vincent's greed that made him choose Robin Goods Co. as a target. Undertaker always said that'd be his downfall. Subtly he edged closer to the quartet on the side of the room. It seemed Astre never grew out of his childish wallflower stage, he kept up the pretense of checking on guests as he moved through the vast room. 

'How distasteful.' The butler, Sebastian, murmured in Latin, eyes downcast as though he wasn't engaged in gossip.

'I can't understand you when you speak like that.' The maid, Cassiopeia hissed back, in Greek this time, leaning forward to exchange Astre and Arthur's glasses with fresh ones. Sebastian sent a frown at her back, presumably one of confusion. 

'Why don't you both speak a language you both understand? There's no point if I'm the only one understanding half of two conversations.' Astre answered in French, eye rolling skyward at his servants' childish behavior. Interesting; his son was now a polyglot. A worm of pride crawled into Vincent's heart. 

''Apologies young master,'' Sheets of black glossy hair falling in sync as they bowed neatly, answering in unison French. They were most likely siblings of some sort, Vincent mused, he wondered where Astre found such loyal servants. Such attractive servants too... the three lower servants he saw were all attractive in their own right. The two blonds juxtaposing each other with one's rugged handsome features and the other's boyish innocence. The maid had such vibrant red hair and when her glasses were knocked down by Siemens Vicent saw gorgeous , piercing hazel eyes.

And the senior staff... Sebastian was carved out of marble with skin to match. His eyes were an intense shade of russet brown, sly and perpetually amused. He had a face that looked perfect in every expression. Cassiopeia was a female version of Sebastian: perpetually amused with elegant timeless features. She didn't seem like his twin though, she seemed closer to Astre and Ciel in age; maybe a younger sister of some sort. And while she was thinner and less womanly than the other maid, her slight build made her look weightless. Her eyes though... they were so pale they looked white in some lights. 

Vincent wondered if his son cultivated his servants by looks alone. And yet they all seemed to revolve around Astre. The senior staff were the closest planets but he sensed the deep loyalty the other three had for Astre, orbitting around him. Taking cues from him. Constantly. While Phantomhive servants were nothing to sneeze at, Vincent would bet his son's crew of servants outstripped his in loyalty.

"As I was saying, how distasteful.:' Sebastian finally concluded in French. 

'Those kinds always are' Cassiopeia answered with a shrug. 

'Those kinds?'

'The kind with a disease even a doctor couldn't cure' Astre finished for her, smirking at his joke. It seemed Vincent wasn't the only one eavesdropping as Arthur suddenly laughed. Astre tilted his head slightly and gave the man a distinct look, playfully shushing the man. 

Sebastian smiled at Cassiopeia, it seemed her lessons in subtle seduction were well taught; Arthur's heart rate increased at the almost heated look the young CEO gave him. Were he a weaker being, Sebastian thought he'd be jealous, but his Astre; entrenched in darkness and sin, would never go for someone so plain. His heartbeat confirmed it. 

Astre turned and smiled at his father, "Hello, father. Is Ciel alright? Shall we go check on him?" 

Vincent looked at his son, noting his neat excuse to depart. "Yes. Let's do that." Astre stood up and played bashful at Arthur's encouraging smile. 

"Sebastian." The butler was already following like a shadow. "Cassiopeia, stay here, perhaps check on Meyrin." 

Cassiopeia bowed, "Of course my lord." Her full skirt swayed as she went to obey her master, she smiled politely at Vincent, but something in her pale grey eyes screamed amusement. 

"Arthur, I'd like to talk to you again, I'm interested in your stories." Astre chimed, face opening into a cute smile. Arthur stuttered an affirmative as the Phantomhives disappeared closely followed by Sebastian and the Undertaker, interestingly enough. 

"Do you need your butler to follow you everywhere? You're not a child being minded." Vincent chided, keeping his tone light. 

Aster smiled and waved his hand dismissively, light laughter filling his voice, "No more than you need the Undertaker." Vincent gave Astre a sharp look, but the reprimand quickly died at the cold look in Astre's eyes. "After I was taken away- one of the few people I could remember, outside you, mother and Ciel, was Undertaker. He was around so often, no?" He gave a little wave at the robed figure that seemed to always be in the thick of things.


	3. Chapter 3

Being back inside his childhood home was an interesting experience, to say the least. It had lost all semblance of a home in Astre's eyes, the fond memories of cooking with his father and cuddling with mother, even the few instances of playing with Ciel were awash with a filter. It felt as though those memories happened to someone else entirely. 

A few years before, Sebastian had admitted to him; hushed and quiet, huddled in their little American flat, that this was by design. Astre, still a child at 14, looked up at him, watched as Sebastian struggled to explain the intricacies of the supernatural world. Cassiopeia was out, looking for more servants for Astre, and possibly a larger house. For now, though the apartment suited them just fine. It gave Sebastian an excuse to curl up on the boy's bed, claiming draftiness and the need to keep warm.

-

"Cassiopeia is a fair folk, young master, her kind takes great pleasure in stealing unhappy children and returning them changed beings." 

"And that's what she's doing with me?" His voice was thin and childlike still. Even at that age, he had noticed the way he never felt homesick anymore, he never felt anything towards his family except bitterness. Even if logically he knew they weren't all terrible.

"In a way, although there's no chance you'll become a fair folk or be returned to the Phantomhives." 'Because you belong to me,' was left unsaid but heavy between the pair. Astre faced forward, leaning into Sebastian's warmth. "It's more like she pulls out the most internal desires and emotions you have, her kind destroys logic and reason." 

"Why does her kind do that?" 

"I believe they simply enjoy wreaking havoc."

-

Havoc. Cassiopeia had explained it another time when prompted, she shrugged and twisted a strand of hair thoughtfully. 

"I'm a changeling child myself. Personally, when I take and return young changelings I enjoy watching parents suffer- that's why I was there that night." She tapped his nose, "In general, though, my kind enjoys stories and comedies. We play pranks and influence stories to make them better." 

"Better how?" 

Her smile spread, glamor flickering to reveal her needle-thin teeth, "Well you saw what would have happened to your family without my help." 

Sebastian was the demon from hell, a manipulative, obsessive, monster, who was cultivating Astre's soul to his liking in order to own it. Cassiopeia is the creature Astre was frightened of. Sebastian in his twisted demonic way loved him, Sebastian could be controlled and directed, like a dog on a leash. Cassiopeia was a creature of whimsy, uncontrollable in this realm, and utterly delighting in pure chaos. 

-

The hallways were so dim, and the soft thuds of their footsteps echoed, Astre idly looked at the historic, traditional portraits of past Phantomhive Earls and sighed inwardly. England was truly a country of tradition. How outdated. While he felt no connection to the Phantomhive family, the title was appealing to Astre and he knew that had life been a little fairer he would have ousted Ciel easily as the best fit to succeed Vincent. 

They arrived at a small office, well away from the other guests. Astre could hear his mother wailing inside to Tanaka, "I'm sure of it! That's not my Astre! That's not my son!" 

Sebastian raised an eyebrow at that; he owed Cassiopeia some money. "I knew it the instant I hugged him that's not my boy!" 

Vincent opened the door, cutting off Rachel's outcry. Ciel was rubbing a towel in his hair, hoping to get out the stink of alcohol without having to take a proper wash. 

"Are you alright Ciel?" Astre asked, stepping forward with a look of concern. Ciel looked at his twin, he had been listening to his mother's adamant claims that this could not be Astre, but he knew she was wrong. A lot could change in a person in 8 years, and he couldn't deny it; except for the eyepatch, Astre was his carbon copy. 

The same pale skin, thin smirk, and big blue eyes inherited from Rachel. Despite their different environments, their builds and heights were identical still. 

"I'm alright Astre, thank you for coming to check on me." He smiled back at his twin. 'He's still probably weaker though, and that asthma doesn't help.' Ciel thought.

"That's not my Astre!" Rachel shrieked, hysterically. Astre sighed and walked towards his mother, kneeling down with a sheepish smile. 

"It's alright, Mother. I know it must come as a shock to see me all of a sudden, and I'd be happy to explain what happened, and why I've waited so long." He gently held his mother's hands in his.

"What happened to your eye?" Rachel finally asked, voice quiet, seemingly willing to listen, placated by the gentle touch. 

"The people who took me away ruined it." Astre stood up, gingerly cradling the side of his face. He turned to look at his father and brother. "It's unseemly. I can no longer see out of it and I-i don't like the reminder of when I was taken away." Vincent found no lie in what Astre was saying, he seemed genuinely upset and uncomfortable at least. 

Ciel did feel some sympathy for his twin; as a child, he had been happy with Astre gone. At first, at least, but then he saw how Vincent simply didn't care that Astre had disappeared. Vincent had been upset, but only in that it caused Rachel distress. Even then, Ciel observed that Vincent's care for Rachel was superficial at best. He entertained her the same way Ciel was expected to entertain Lizzy's whims, not out of love, but out of duty. A duty to preserve reputation, and marry a suitably wealthy noblewoman. In that way, as a young adult Ciel realized that Astre went beyond just the typical spare; but was the plaything with which Rachel was meant to distract herself with. Then he felt sorry for his kidnapped twin.

He realized what Astre had known all those years ago when they bickered carelessly. But Vincent taught him, there was little room for love and emotion in the underworld, and if he were to rule it as his father did he would abandon all those foolish notions. 

Still. 

Hearing Astre's story evoked pity and sorrow. Vincent had never put too many resources into finding the lost twin. The night he'd disappeared he had appeared appropriately distraught, but once the summer season had passed and that July night faded Vincent put up little to no airs. 

"So tell us what did happen, son." Vincent leaned against the door, Undertaker by his side, smiling widely. 

Astre took a deep breath, as though steadying himself. "As you remember I was taken away that night in July..." 

Ciel did remember; he remembered fighting with his brother, feeling bitter and sorry for himself at the way Astre was so treasured and loved, at least by their mother. Looking back, Vincent had seemed kinder to Astre, but in the way one's kind to a particularly cute puppy. He had been smug too, taunting Astre that he got to stay up and join the festivities while Astre was sent to sleep like a baby. 

"It was a woman who took me, I have no idea how she got inside." 

Sebastian hid a smile, technically all the young master was saying was true, barely a lie embedded within the story. 

"She seemed inhuman, terrifying in a way." Astre shuddered, channeling his real feelings towards the Fae species in his act, "And she just... whisked me away, like a spell had been placed over me... I couldn't have escaped her once she set her sights on me. She took me to this man and- well... he mutilated my eye." 

He looked up at his father with terror in his singular eye. Vincent was struck by the heartbreaking expression, so far, very little of what Astre said seemed to be lies. He seemed almost entirely honest about his experiences, but it seemed like Astre concealed something behind his sorrowful words and twisted expression. 

"I don't know why me exactly... but they did and they took me to America. It was awful- the ship and the cold and the crying off all the other children."

It had been cold on the way to America, the ship they were on wasn't one a child from a wealthy noble family would usually take. Astre would have complained more had he not been excited to see the land of opportunity, with no true noble class, that relied on blood rites and fussy tradition. Soon his eagerness would be disproven by the reality of American society, a grim, disgusting land with finicky, propagandized citizens, but at that age Astre lacked that insight. 

"I spent a long time in a dingy apartment with other people. It was awful. Finny, one of my servants, was also held in a similar place, he'd been kidnapped and experimented on too... Eventually, the apartment was shut down, and everyone inside was freed...I didn't even know how long I had been there..." Astre fiddled with his fingers, looking down and letting his fringe mask his face. Ciel stepped forward and laid a cautious hand on Astre's arm, feeling him flinch. Astre kept his tone even, but solemn, his tone clipped and short as though he was burying his emotions.

"Meyrin, my other maid, two friends of hers were thrown off a building... she joined us soon after."

Vincent nodded along, at least he knew where Astre found his motley crew of servants, they were traumatized strays, who'd bonded through common experiences. "And the others?"

"Baldroy is a veteran, he suffered from war flashbacks but hospitals wouldn't help him... or they couldn't... Cassiopeia was kidnapped in a similar way to me- we lived together in that little apartment." Astre glanced at Sebastian, "And Sebastian...."

"Where I came from before I met the others was pure hell," Sebastian admitted gravely. Undertaker's lips twitched upwards. 

"But to keep our departure from the party short; I won Robin Goods Co in a chess game of all things." Astre smiled ruefully at Vincent. "We had just left those apartments and were trying to find money any way possible... I couldn't even afford to send a letter to England at the time." 

Ciel imagined being in a foreign country, with no money and no way to survive, only surrounded by traumatized people just as desperate as you. While he felt sorry for his twin, he was happy it had been Astre who had suffered, not him. 

"And then you made Robin Goods Co the success it is today." Vincent finished the sad story for his son, clapping slowly, "Very impressive. I'm proud of you, Astre." 

Astre seemed to flush at the praise.

Meanwhile, Ciel's chest grew cold, and whatever sympathy he had been feeling towards Astre dried up at those words. It seemed now that Astre was back, his father would go back to displaying his rare affections to the younger twin. If Astre noticed the stiffening of Ciel's posture, he didn't make any indication. 

"Still... it's no excuse for never reaching out- by the time I had money to send word to England it always felt like the wrong time... we were always so busy, and it had been so long too..."

"Well, you're back now." VIncent opened his arms magnanimously, he pulled his son into his arms and shot a meaningful look at Ciel over his head. Though Astre hadn't seemed to lie even once in his story, he was not to be trusted. Ciel nodded back, ignoring the bitter twinge in his chest at the way Astre looped his arms around Vincent's waist. It was all for show. Just like before, Vincent cared about Astre in the way that one cared for a puppy. An abused one, Ciel mused. It was harder now to feel sorry for him though, since he was right in front of Ciel receiving affection from Vincent, despite never slaving under their father for just a few ounces of praise. He didn't have to grow up under the weight of the Phantomhive title. But it was fine. Just like back then, it was just to entertain mother, just to make sure Astre didn't sully the Phantomhive name, just business as usual with Vincent, using people, lying, favoring one son over the other, just the same cold, uncaring bastard of a father-

"I'm glad to be back, Father." Astre peered up at Vincent, smiling in a rather cherubic manner in spite of being 18, how childish. "Shall we rejoin the party?"


	4. Chapter 4

In the main party, Cassiopeia had sent Meyrin off with the rest of the servants to begin cleaning up, the air dying down into a dull, languid atmosphere as guests wandered off, to the bar, to the billiards room. Mr. Arthur was still sitting on the edges of the room, awkward and out of place. A coo of sympathy escaped the maid as she whisked her way over. Her full skirt swayed dramatically as she swept over to the man. 

"Mr. Wordsmith, won't you go play billiards with Mr. Woodley and Phelps?" He jolted at the sight of the pretty maid standing so suddenly before him. 

Arthur rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, "Well I just feel so out of place... I honestly hadn't meant to stay so long, but the storm." She looked out the window with an understanding hum. 

"I see well, think of it like this," She leaned over conspiratorially, "Now's your chance to observe the rich and elite, wouldn't that be helpful for your writing?" 

The man straightened at her suggestion, nodding with growing enthusiasm, "You're right!" 

Cassiopeia hummed again, giving the barest hint of a curtsy, "I'm sure one of the maids of the house can guide you to the correct room." He stood up at her bidding and began to walk out, turning to face her. 

"Miss. Cassiopeia?" She hummed in response, tilting her head to the side as she collected his used champagne glasses. "Why are you being so kind to me?"

"Hmm... if I couldn't make my master's favored guest feel welcome what sort of maid would that make me?" She stepped away before Arthur could point out that he was Vincent's guest, not Astre's.

\- 

As the Phantomhive family, sans Rachel who had retired to her room, trekked through the hallways back to the main room, Astre entertained his father and his twin with the story of winning Robin Good Co in a chess match. Sebastian and Undertaker were dutifully behind them, while Undertaker wasn't a servant like Sebastian he found himself endlessly entertained by the demon. As they neared the ballroom where the main party was taking place a singular maid exited, "Oh? That was rather quick."

Cassiopeia curtsied to the group, "My apologies young master, many of the guests have absconded to side game rooms. The party died down in your absence." It was clear that while she was bowing to them all, she was only addressing Astre, as though he was the head of the house. Vincent's lip curled at the blatant disrespect in his own home. "Would you like to go speak to the wordsmith again? He's in the billiards room with Mr. Woodley and Mr. Phelps." 

Astre nodded, "Ah, sorry Father, I really enjoyed Mr. Arthur's story in the papers. I'm going to take the opportunity to go talk to him again." Vincent smiled and waved his younger son away, needing a moment to talk to his heir and readjust their plans. "Sebastian. Cassiopeia." Sebastian leaned forward with a growing smirk, awaiting orders with faint amusement. "Go help the other servants with cleaning up the party." 

"Yes, sir." The maid and butler walked off. The sway of Sebastian's tailcoat was hypnotic, it chased the shadows at the edges of the hallway, curling towards them with each sway. Once they were out of sight, Sebastian slid a gold coin to his female counterpart. Cassiopeia giggled, clutching the coin closely. 

"So pretty! Is this truly a 13th-century gold coin from Spain?" She held it up to see the shine in the candlelight. 

"Yes yes. It seems you were correct, Lady Phantomhive seemed to believe my Astre was not her true son." 

Cassiopeia cackled, tossing her hair over her shoulder, "I told you! They always say that."

"But you haven't changed him into a fair folk, I thought it'd be different." Sebastian sighed and placed his gloved fingertips to his temple. 

"Yes well. I doubt after all the work you put into molding his soul he'd be considered fully human either." The two shrugged at each other, walking into the kitchen to greet the other servants and offer assistance. 

Though Sebastian usually hated everything and everyone on the principle of being a demon; he liked Cassiopeia in his own way. He remembered a night a few years back, the pair sitting in a drawing-room in Astre's new estate.

-

Cassiopeia hummed, sipping her warmed milk and honey- a treat that his lovely Astre outgrew but the fae liked for some reason. "Sebastian?" He hummed, not looking away from the hearth but giving her his attention. "Do you really think the young master will grow to love you?" 

The demon blinked at her question, feeling on edge by her query, his lips peeling back into a snarl, "What is that supposed to mean?" 

She blinked up at him, her skin crawling with gooseflesh out of fear, "I simply wonder...a demon's soulmate...." She trailed off, thinking, "A soulmate is only meant to enhance one's life correct?" He nodded tersely, leaning back, eyes narrowed and glowing. "I wonder why the Lord would think to give demons a mate- if they're meant to be eternally punished... and your Astre is colder than any human I've ever seen." 

Sebastian laughed, anger easing, "Because, most of the time a demon never finds their soulmate until it's too late. They either find out after killing them or being killed by them. A demon can't see all of a soul until they devour it." He didn't mention Astre's cold nature- to him it only made sense; he'd never be happy if his soulmate was easily won. 

Cassiopeia smiled, "Ah... so Queen Titania picking out your soulmate is an ... anomaly? And my interference stopped you from inevitably eating your own soulmate?" 

"Precisely." 

Silence reigned for a while. 

Cassiopeia stood, eyes glowing brightly with the heat of the summer sun. She gave a small bow, a flash of light briefly illuminating her features. "I shall endeavor to give you two a happy ending then, as my Queen will surely enjoy this play."

-

The guttural dying scream of Von Siemens echoed briefly throughout the halls preluding Sebastian breaking down the door. All of the guests raced over, seeing the man collapsed in the chair, mouth hanging open in a twisted way. Lady Diaz screamed, clutching onto Brisby. Lizzie hid behind Ciel, Arthur covered his eyes from his place next to Astre- having run in together with Mr. Woodley. The accusations began flying immediately, but the only one who remained without an alibi was the Lady of the house. 

Rachel winced as Earl Grey's chains sealed around her ankle, the other end tied to the commoner wordsmith. Astre and Ciel sat side by side on the other bed in the room. Astre looked around his childhood room. It seemed that after he was taken they kept Ciel's and his shared room much the same. The beds were smaller than what would be comfortable, causing Ciel and Astre to be pressed side by side. While Rachel had to be monitored, as the presumed killer of Von Siemens, she couldn't be monitored by any family- they could all be in league together. But no woman wanted to sleep next to a killer, leaving only the slow-moving wordsmith, but they had to protect Rachel's honor still. 

So her two children were to sleep in the same room as Arthur and Rachel, chained together out of protection. 

The twins stared at each other, the stillness of the night. Ciel noticed some more dissimilarities, being this close to Astre. 

Astre's cheeks still retained a bit of stubborn puppy fat, his jaw slightly rounder than Ciel's, "Hey Astre?" Ciel whispered, feeling nostalgic. 

"Hmm?" Astre blinked at him with his singular eye. 

"... maybe you should take off the eyepatch... it can't be good to keep it covered all the time." He reached up, the tip of his finger brushing Astre's cheek. 

Astre smacked his hand away, jerking up and away from Ciel with a gasp. "No!" 

Rachel stirred and Arthur sat up in fear, "-wazzit Wha's wrong-" He mumbled, disoriented. 

"Nothing." Ciel hissed, pulling Astre back down. "Calm down- my god. I won't touch it then." He groused, turning away from Astre. 

Astre gingerly reached out, "Ciel... I- it's such a bad wound and I hate being reminded of when I was taken..." Astre's hands were cold. like when they were kids. 

Ciel turned back around and nodded, "Alright then... I'll leave it alone." Silence settled over them. Influenced by the feeling of being so close to his twin after so long, Ciel curled closer. "I missed you." He admitted to Astre, "When you were gone... I'd never been that lonely before." 

Astre blinked at his brother, surprised. "I'm surprised- I never knew you were such a sap, Ciel." He teased, reaching out to link their hands together. Squishy palms pressed together, even as Ciel laughed under his breath. 

"Says you-" 

"Young Master," Ciel jerked away, tugging Astre closer by their entwined hands. Standing at the end of the bed, quietly looming over the twins, were Astre's servants. Sebastian hid an unhappy growl seeing the twins' closeness. He hated Ciel- the "true" heir. His soul was too similar to Astre, but not perfect- it was an imperfect resemblance, setting the demon on edge. He gave the twins a congenial smile, "Young Master, your pillow.." Cassiopeia handed him the pillow with a dip of her head. 

"Ah. Thank you." He adjusted the pillow beneath him and sank into it with a sigh, removing his hands from Ciel's. 

"We'll be going then." Sebastian bowed, again, turning and leaving the room. 

"Wait. Cassiopeia." Cassiopeia tilted her head at him, stopping on her way out. 

"Yes, Young Master?" 

"Bring me a pain tonic, my eye's hurting," Astre ordered. 

-

Tanaka laid dead, body cooling near the long-dead fire, and while Ciel and Vincent handled it with a sort of cool grace, showing off how heartless the Queen's watchdog and his heir could be, how calm and level-headed they could be under the heavyweight of the death of their dearest servant. 

Astre however, Astre was screaming. 

Not at the sight of Tanaka, old frail body stabbed through brutally, blood seeping into the lavish carpet, corpse muddling the air with its scent. Stabbed through the back, height twisted to the side by whatever brutal weight bludgeoned him. 

No, he screamed at the sight of his pretty maid, body curling around what appeared to be a fire poker, laid on her side in the hallway. Her pale face was twisted in what looked like horror, black hair heavy with blood. Her skirts flared out across her thin legs, ankles splayed out in an unseemly manner. 

"Cassiopeia!" Astre shrieked, rushing past his family and falling to his knees next to her body. His exposed knees became stained with her blood, hands falling to her shoulders, shaking her violently.

Meyrin and Finnian held each other, sobbing uncontrollably while Baldroy looked on, a grim set in his mouth. Finny sobbed into Meyrin's shoulders mumbling the dead maid's name. Sebastian seemed entranced at her body, staring down at her blankly, red eyes hazy. He seemed almost stunned, shocked. 

To the onlookers, the innocents above the underworld, those who lived in the realm of normalcy, the sight was tragic. Pitiful, as Astre screamed, clutching the corpse of the young woman, who looked infinitely younger in death. The servants huddled together in a said trio, the eldest attempting to assuage the sorrow of the youngest servants. And the man who surely must have been the young woman's brother shell shocked, standing to the side in horror. 

To Vincent it was pathetic. 

To sob over a mere servant, truly Astre was not a real Phantomhive. Ciel thought it was rather sad, his brother always seemed to draw the short end of the stick. From what the young heir could see, Cassiopeia, and all the servants, were more than mere servants, they were the closest thing Astre had for a family. Surely, since he clearly wasn't a Phantomhive. 

Sebastian finally moved forward, pulling Astre away from Cassiopeia, lifting him to his feet. The blood sluiced from Astre's delicate white shirt onto the floor in a slow drip. "Young master... she's dead." He mumbled, drawing him back. 

Baldroy suggested moving the corpses to the cellar along with Von Siemens. Undertaker offered to move the maid, not waiting for any protests he scooped up the maid's thin body. A glass bottle tumbled from the folds of her dress. "What's this?" Undertaker giggled. 

Arthur knelt and picked it up, "It looks like a pain tonic." 

Astre gasped, "I told her to get me one. She must've been on the way back to where Ciel and I were sleeping." 

Ciel nodded, "The maid must have been on the way back to us and must have caught whoever murdered Tanaka in the act."

"So she had to die." Vincent confirmed, "What time did you ask for a pain tonic?" 

"Around midnight?" Astre looked to Ciel to confirm, the older twin nodding in agreement. 

"We need to map out a timeline." 

Undertaker giggled, trailing a long nail down Cassiopeia's cheek. "We should also check the bodies, Earl. I'm sure they have interesting jokes to spill.


End file.
